Boulder scientists pin last hopes for NOAA on Congress
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The director of Boulder's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) said in an exclusive Axios interview that he hopes Congress will provide the science community with enough support to nix proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Why it matters: The Trump administration's proposed cuts would eliminate funding for Colorado's two cooperative institutes, including CIRES, a University of Colorado research institute that partners with the NOAA.
Between the lines: Waleed Abdalati, CIRES' director, said the cuts "wouldn't put us out of business, but it would be a huge blow to the institute and a huge blow to national interests."
- CIRES gets about 60% of its funding from the NOAA, and roughly 400 of the institute's 900 employees work at NOAA labs in Boulder.
Reality check: Abdalati said lost funding would result in layoffs and halt research on "everything from the center of the Earth to the surface of the Sun."
- "When you tear down a scientific enterprise, rebuilding it is not as simple as rehiring," Abdalati said.
Threat level: Abdalati said he has "grave concerns" about the cuts but did not speculate on their impacts.
- "Congress ultimately holds the power of the purse, and we're waiting to see what Congress decides to do with that power," Abdalati said.
Flashback: Abdalati told Axios Boulder, "Historically, there has been a lot of support out of Congress for cooperative institutes and our work with NOAA."
- Trump tried to make similar cuts during his first term but was rebuffed by Congress.
- "I don't know if that will be the case this time," Abdalati said.
What they're saying: U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, whose district includes both of the state's cooperative institutes, led a coalition of 23 lawmakers who penned a letter last week in opposition to the slashed funding.
- "If these sweeping cuts are made, the damage will be irreversible," the letter read.
The bottom line: "We should all wait on the process to play out,"Abdalati said.
Yes, but: While the cuts are not final, Abdalati did say their proposal has hit workers' morale hard.
- "Understandably, people have trouble concentrating when they're worried about their jobs and what is going to come next," Abdalati said.
- He added, "It's hard to be productive when morale is so low and, honestly, when your work is belittled."